Amir Saeed

The significant rise in mobile subscriptions in the country highlights the pressing need for targeted initiatives to address the widespread lack of digital literacy that impedes efficient usage of the Internet and the country’s overall digital development. The country has had a remarkable increase in mobile subscriptions in the last few years, with an incredible 192 million mobile cellular users, making up 79.48% of the nation’s mobile teledensity. This rise shows that mobile technology is becoming more widely available in urban and rural areas. Talking to WealthPK, Mahnoor Arshad, a research associate at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), highlighted that even with encouraging figures, a significant section of the population still lacked digital literacy. “This disparity not only impedes personal growth but also restrains the expansion of the country’s digital landscape.”

“With 133 million mobile broadband subscribers or 55.07% of the total mobile broadband penetration, one would think the country has almost attained digital inclusion. However, because they lack basic digital skills, many users cannot take full advantage of mobile broadband opportunities,” she pointed out. Mahnoor further highlighted that the disparity in digital literacy was particularly stark in rural regions, where educational resources and training were often lacking. “Consumers miss opportunities for work, education and access to essential services when they lack a foundational understanding of how to navigate the digital landscape. Moreover, the country’s fixed telecom market is still in its infancy, with only 3 million users, or 1.06% of its total fixed teledensity. The low statistics show that the infrastructure hasn’t kept up with the explosive rise of mobile technologies,” she said.

The SDPI research associate pointed out that limitations and lack of digital literacy were the barriers to the expansion of the Internet. “This gap is further exacerbated by the fact that many families lack the technology and the necessary expertise to make effective internet connections.” The internet data also show an alarming trend. Though Pakistan has 127 million broadband users (or a broadband penetration rate of 56.51%), actual online resource utilisation and engagement are often very low. Ghulam Rehman, President of Freelancers Association, Gilgit-Baltistan, said that due to the lack of digital literacy programmes, a sizable segment of society continued to live in the shadows of the Internet, ignorant of the wealth of information that was accessible there. “This underutilisation prevents individuals from leveraging the internet for personal development, entrepreneurship, and connectivity.” He said digital illiteracy hampered economic growth in a country where mobile technology was widely used but where people were unable to interact with digital platforms.

“Small companies and entrepreneurs find it difficult to build an online presence. As a result, e-commerce’s potential has not yet been realised. Furthermore, it becomes harder for people without digital skills to compete in a job market where knowing technology is a must, which puts many at a disadvantage.” Rehman suggested that the government must address the digital literacy issue if it was to properly capitalise on the expansion of its Internet and mobile infrastructure. “Programmes for education and training that equip people with the skills they need to confidently traverse the digital environment must be the primary focus of the policymakers. Collaboration between the public and business sectors as well as civil society would be crucial in building an inclusive digital environment that connects and enhances usability.”

Credit: INP-WealthPk